The rest of the cabinet then voted in favour of the US-backed plan to disarm the group and implement a ceasefire with Israel. Tensions have been rising in Lebanon amid increased domestic and international pressure for Hezbollah to give up its remaining arsenal after a bruising war with Israel that ended last November with a US-brokered ceasefire. Hezbollah itself has doubled down on its refusal to disarm. The four ministers who walked out before the vote included members of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc and the allied Amal party, as well as independent Shiite parliamentarian Fadi Makki. Makki said on X that he had “tried to work on bridging the gaps and bringing viewpoints closer between all parties, but I didn’t succeed”.

He said he decided to pull out of the meeting after the other Shiite ministers left. “I couldn’t bear the responsibility of making such a significant decision in the absence of a key component from the discussion,” he said. (Jamaica Gleaner)